The College of William and Mary’s Board of Visitors met Feb. 7-9, celebrated Charter Day, discussed construction projects and fundraising and passed 18 resolutions on topics including faculty retirement, weapons on campus and property decisions.
Resolutions 1-5: The Committee on Academic Affairs addressed these resolutions in a closed session. It dealt with filling faculty vacancies, awarding tenure, faculty promotions, designated professorships and faculty leave of absence.
Resolution 6: The Board approved a program to begin in fall 2018 to award a Bachelor of Science in computational and applied mathematics and statistics. The proposal was initially approved by the Arts and Sciences Educational Policy Committee and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in fall 2014, and the classes will be taught by current faculty members in applied science, biology, computer science, economics and mathematics.
Resolution 7: Hispanic studies professor Jonathan Arries will be retiring after 23 years at the College. In addition to teaching classes, he was involved in community service in the Williamsburg area and helped to create the dual certification program in English as a second language at the School of Education.
Resolution 8: After 38 years at the College, English professor Joanne Braxton will be retiring from her role. In her time here, Braxton was one of the founding members of the American studies program, has worked in the Africana studies program and has served on the counseling center and Lemon Project advisory committees.
Resolution 9: French and Francophone studies professor Maryse Fauvel will be retiring after 26 years at the College. Among other accomplishments, Fauvel has been the French program director three times, has served as chair of the modern languages and literatures department and developed the College’s summer program in Montpelier, France.
Resolution 10: After 25 years at the College, religious studies professor Julie Galambush will be retiring. She is noted for her scholarship on the Hebrew Bible. During her time at the College, she has served on numerous committees for the faculty of arts and sciences and often speaks at synagogues and churches.
Resolution 11: Computer science professor Phil Kearns will be retiring after 32 years at the College. He has published over 50 papers with his graduate students in the field of computer systems.
Resolution 12: After 20 years at the College and at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, marine science professor Michael Newman will be retiring. He has served on panels from the regional to the international level because of his prominence in the field of ecotoxicology, has written numerous papers and has edited several books.
Resolution 13: Music professor Katherine Preston will be retiring after 26 years at the College. She is a member of several professional societies, served as the College’s music department chair for seven years and is best known in academia for her research on American opera.
Resolution 14: After 42 years at the College, government professor Ronald Rapoport will be retiring. His scholarship focuses on political behavior and public opinion, but much of his time at the College has been focused on developing the government department and mentoring both students and younger faculty.
Resolution 15: The Board approved the resolution for VIMS to purchase a property at 29 Brooklyn Avenue in Wachapreague, Virginia. This property is adjacent to the Eastern Shore Laboratory on the VIMS campus and is intended for future expansion and development.
Resolution 16: The regulation regarding weapons on campus was amended to more clearly address the possession of weapons inside all College-controlled buildings, in outdoor public spaces and at College-related events. This resolution was initially brought to the Board in November, but was deferred until this February session.
Resolution 17: This resolution institutes regulations on open flames on campus and mandates that individuals must obtain a permit before igniting an open flame on College property, a reinforcement of current College policies already in place.
Resolution 18: The College will provide an easement to the Virginia Electric and Power Company to allow the company to construct, operate and maintain underground electric facilities and other equipment at the College’s 628 Hofstadter Road property in Newport News, Virginia. This property is currently associated with the nuclear physics research facility Jefferson Lab.
